Golf-ball cleaner



Aug. 19, 1930. E M AlNG '1,773,149

' GOLF BALL CLEANER Filed April l2, 1928 @www mys Patented Aug. 19,r1930 PATENT -oFFlcE EDWARD M. LAING, OFHTGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS'applicativa med April 12,

This invention relates to a golf ball cleaner, and more particularly toan improved apparatus by Ameans Vof which a person may scrub a golf balleasily and eilieiently, without unduly soiling the hands or clothing.

One object of the invention is to provide an apparatusl embodying areceptacle for holding water, in which is positioned` a pair of opposedbrushes, and means for moving i *l -a golf ball back and forth betweenthe brushes in such a manner that all portions of the brushes areutilized. v

Another object is to provide an apparatus of this type so assembled thatthe accumui lated dirt can be quickly removed.

Another object is to provide means for Aminimizing the splashing ofwater from the receptacle. v

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparentfrom the following detailed description of one approved form of theapparatus. v

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the assembled apparatus. f

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section, taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 isa vertical sec-tion taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one end portion of the apparatus, illustratingyone of the flatV closures.

Fig. 5 is a view Vsimilar to Fig. 2, showing a modification.

The device comprises an outer receptacle Y brackets 3, secured inverticall position by bolts 4 to the top of posts 5, are adapted tobereceived in sockets formed by metal straps .or loops 6 secured to oneside of the recepl5`0, taclel. Set screws 7 mounted in straps 6are'ada-ptedto be tightened against the brackform, asshown in Fig.'3,'are secured against 192e. serial No. 269,512.

`1, 2, and 3 a second inner receptacle or brus holder 8 consists of ametal outer shell, some- '55 `what shallower than receptacle 1 andhaving an arcuate bottoni 9 formed with a plurality of perforations 10so that vwateror other liquid held inreceptacle 1- may pass freely intoand through the inner receptacle '30 8, and dirt from within receptacleSmay be forced through perforations 10 into the outer receptacle 1.Preferably receptacle 8 is provided at the top with an outwardly and4downwardly curved flange lladapted to rest upon the kupper edges-.2 of.receptacle 1 and thus support the' inner receptacle or brush holder inits normal position. A pair of spring locks or latches 12, mounted-oneoneach side wall of receptacle .1, arej'adapted '70 to be sprung intoand `out of mating openings in the two receptacles so as tov removablylock-the brush holder in position.

A pair of brushes 13,'preferably of arcuate the opposite side wallsy ofreceptacle 8 byany suitablel means, such as screws 14. The inneropposing ends of the bristles 15 of the two brushes 13 are spaced .aparta distance.VT substantiallyless than thediameter. of' a golf `80 ball,suoli as indicated at 16. j

The central portionsof the backs of brushes 13 extend upwardly at thecenter,l as indicated at 17, these upward extensions being,y

connected by a'bolt 18 on which is intermedil85 vately pivoted the,ball-holding member v19.

Suitable blocks or spacing members l2O mou-nted between the/extensions17 of brushes 13, serveto hold ythe member 19 in a. central posi- .-Htion along the pivot shaft or bolt 18. The 9( upper end of member 19 isformed as a handle 21whereby the member jmay be-conveni-ently swungfromside'to side. f. An elongated slot 22 is formed vin the lowerportion ofmember 19, this slot being slightlvwiderthan kthe dii ameterofa golf. ball... j The slot is inclined at an angle of substantially .45to the longl- .tudinal center linee-f member 19, or to the *arcuate pathof travel of the lower kend of meir'iber 19'. The elongated slot 22 isof sufiicient length to extend substantially from one side to the otherof the brushes 13, all as illustrated most clearly in Fig. 3.

'A ap or closure 23 is pivoted at 24 adjacent each end of the innerreceptacle 8. "Springs normally holds these ilaps down so esto cover orenclose the end portions of theiifeceptacle. vIzlloweven-when theballholdiig member 19`is swung down to the position, such as illustratedin dottedv lines in Fig. 3, the flap 23 opposite end of the receptaclewill be swung up to theposip tion indicated in dotted lines to permitthe ball-holding portion of `member 19 to be moved up out of thereceptacle. When the .member 19 is again swun upwardly, the flapn23 willautomaticallyc ose.

operation the parts are assembled as shown' inthe drawings, and thereceptacles 1 and 8 filled` to, a convenient heightY with water. Whenthe member 19 is swung down to ene end or the otherof its arcuate pathof gtravel, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, a golf ball 16 maybe placed within the slot 22. The member 19 is now oscillated back andforth, although preferably not to the extreme dotted line positions, sothat the ball 16 will remain continuously between the brushes 13. It`will be noted that as the 'lower endof member 19 is moved downwardfl t(for example fromthe dottedrline tothe all line position, Fig. 3) ,z theinclination of Slot 22 will cause the 'ball 16 to work down toward thelower end of the slot. When the `member 19 is swung in the `oppositedirection, the inclination ofslot 22 w11 cause the ball l'to moveupwardly ftoward the other end ofthe slot. Consequently, as the member19 is oscillated back and forth between. the brushes, the ball 16 willmove alternately from y one end of slot 22 to the other, thus utilizingsubstantially all portions ofthe brushes durin this scrubbing process.The ball will ro freely within slot 22 in all directions, so that allportionsl of the ball will be quickly scrubbed. It will b e noted thatas soon as the ball-holding end of member 19 has been moved down intothe receptacles, the flap closure 23 at :that end of the device willimmediately close so as to prevent the splashing ofwater from ,thereceptacles. Both slots remain closed continuously until the member 19is swung down far enoughto one side or the other to bring the' lowerballfholding portion of the member up'out of the receptacle. At such atime, the ball may be removed or inspected to seeif it is sufficientlyclean.

`The greater of the .dirt that is refromthe `balls will eventually Vpassthrough perforatiollslfl V`(which may be quite lairgelinto theouter-receptacle 1. At suitable p iytuvals of time, thesgruwbbin'gassembly con- Y of the receptacle or brushfholder.tllblushejedballfholdn member .tt-eredehreba may 12e' .remove from ref-device is simplified by'feliminating the inner receptaclesv 8. The twobrushes are connected by ya plurality of bolts, one of which isindicated at 26, and spacing members 27 serve to hold the brushes apartat the proper distance. Smaller spacing members or shims 28 may also beused, and by removing one or more of these shims the brushes may bebrought closer together to` allow for wear of the brushes. The entirelbrush-holding assembly issu ported within the upper portion of receptace 1 by means of the outwardl curved hooks or flanges 29 secured to thebacks of the brushes. The flaps or closures 23 will be pivotally mountedbetween the ends of the brushes as in the first described form. Theoperation of this form of the invention isin all respects the same asthat of the firstdescribed form.

If desired, the inner scrubbing assembly (of either form abovedescribed) can Vbe hinged at one end Within thev outer receptacle andprovided with a suitable clasp at the other end, instead of beingentirely removable as in the preferred forms described. It will beapparent that many other ,changes vin design and proportions may be madewithout departing from the principles of the invention as set forth inthe following claims.

I claim: v A

1. A golf ball cleaner comprising a receptacle for holding liquid, apair of opposed brushes mounted within the receptacle and a memberpivoted intermediately of its length von a horizontal axis abovethereceptacle and formed with an upwardlyextending handle portion, and adownwardlyextending portion of less thickness than the' diameter of agolf `ball adapted to swing between the brushes, the downwardlyextending portion of the member being formed with an aperture forloosely receiving a golf ball.

2. A golf ball cleaner comprising a receptacle for holding liquid, ascrubbing 1assembly and means for removably supporting ythe assemblywithinnthe upper portion of thereceptacle, the scrubbing assembly'consisting of a pair of opposed brushes, means securing the brush-backstogetherin spaced parallel relation,l a flat member ofsubstantiallyfless thickness than theV diameter of a golf-ball in-gtermedi-ately pivotedbetween the uppercentral portion of the brushes,the upwardly extending portion ofthe member being in the form of ahandle'andthe lower portion which swings between the 'brushes beingformedzw with an aperture to loosely receive the golfball.

3. A golf ball cleaner comprising a receptacle for holding liquid, ascrubbing assembly and means for removably supporting the assemblywithin the upper portion of the re ceptacle, the scrubbing assemblyconsisting of a pair of opposed'brushes, means securing the brush-backstogether in spaced parallel relation, a flat member of substantiallyless thickness than the diameter of a golf-ball intermediately pivotedbetween the upper central portion of the brushes, the upwardly eX-tending portion of the member being in the form of a handle and thelower portion which swings between the brushes being formed with anaperture to loosely receive the golf ball, and a pair of spring-held lapclosures pivoted one at each end of the top of the scrubbing assemblyand adapted to be lifted by the ball-holding'meinber when it is swung upfrom between the brushes.

4f. A golf ball cleaner comprising a receptacle for holding liquid, ascrubbing assembly consisting of a pair of opposed brushes of downwardlyprojecting arcuate contour, the central portions of the brush-backsprojecting upwardly, a plurality of bolts connecting the l brush-backs,spacers on the bolts between the brushes to hold the brushes in spacedparallel relation, a flat member of substantially less thickness thanthe diameter of a golf ball intermediately pivoted between the upwardlyextending central portions of the brushbacks, the upper portion of themember forming a handle and the lower portion which swings between thebrushes being formed with an aperture to receive the golf ball, andmeans for suspending the scrubbing assembly within the upper portion ofthe receptacle.

5. A golf ball cleaner comprising a receptacle for holding liquid, apair of opposed brushes mounted within the receptacle and a memberpivoted intermediately above the receptacle and formed with an upperhandle portion, and a lower portion of less thickness than the diameterof a golf ball adapted to swing between the brushes, the member beingformed with an aperture for loosely receiving a golf ball, and a pair offlap closures for the opening in the upper portion of the receptacle,said closures positioned to be lifted by the lower ball-holding portionof the meinber as it is swung up out of the receptacle.

EDVARD M. LAING.

